Section 6Sec./Art. 6

Technical and Secretariat Support. - A Secretariat to the TP Council, herein referred to as the "TP Council Secretariat".1aшphi1 shall be established within the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), to be headed by an Executive Director IV (Salary Grade 29), who shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines from a list of at least five (5) nominees from the TP Council.

The Executive Director IV shall be a person of proven integrity and good moral character, shall have relevant experience and practice in the fields of industry development, data-driven industrial policy, domestic and/or international trade, entrepreneurship, innovation, or any related field, and be a person of proven administrative proficiency and expertise in the area of management with a minimum of five (5) years experience in an executive leadership capacity.

The Executive Director shall be assisted by technical and administrative staff consisting of at least one (1) of each of the following officers and employees:

(a) Project managers (Salary Grade 24) for each of the five (5) P Pillars;

(b) Financial management specialist (Salary Grade 22);

(c) Technical staff/project specialists (Salary Grade 18) per TP Pillar; and

(d) Administrative staff (Salary Graded 18).

Provided, That each agency forming part of the TP Council shall appoint at least one (1) representative solely dedicated to serve as liaison and provide technical and/or administrative support to the TP Council Secretariat.

Within one hundred twenty (120) days after the effectivity of this Act, the DTI shall determine the organizational structure, staffing patterns, and compensation system of the TP Council Secretariat, including the duties, qualifications, responsibilities, and functions of its officers and staff members, and submit the same to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for approval, in accordance with the existing organizational staffing, position classification, and compensation laws, rules, regulations, and guidelines. Pending the creation of the appropriate plantilla positions, the DTI-Competitiveness and Innovation Group (DTI-CIG) shall constitute an interim secretariat within one (1) month from the effectivity of this Act.

Each of the TP Council member agencies shall formally designate at least one (1) representative on temporary detail to the interim secretariat until such time that the plantilla positions of the TP Council Secretariat have been created. The DTI-CIG is likewise authorized to engage consultants and enter into service contracts, as may be necessary: Provided, That once the organizational structure and personnel complement have been determined, those engaged shall have the option to be absorbed permanently in the TP Council Secretariat.

The TP Council Secretariat shall have the following duties and responsibilities:

(a) Determine and prepare the agenda of the TP Council meetings, and prepare the minutes of each meeting;

(b) Serve as a venue for the initial processing and discussion of the work of the TP Council;

(c) Receive and prepare communications pertinent to the work of the TP Council;

(d) Manage and maintain the official records of the TP Council;

(e) Prepare reports as required by the TP Council;

(f) Conduct research, gather data, and provide analytical support as required by the TP Council to inform its decisions and recommendations;

(g) Assist in the drafting of policy recommendations, strategies, and action plans based on the TP Council's deliberations; and

(h) Perform other duties as may be assigned by the TP Council.